The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle, Illyria Outdoor Theatre Review
Written by Emmie for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own.
Hugh Lofting's timeless classic highlights the transformative power of empathy, encouraging audiences of all ages to view the world from the perspective of animals. The award-winning outdoor theatre company, Illyria, brings over 30 years of expertise to create a joyful musical experience across the country this summer.
Illyria’s rendition of The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle is a whirlwind of creativity and wit, allowing the small yet talented cast to captivate the audience from start to finish. The wealth of experience between the cast ( Astrid Miriam Bishop, Nicholas Lee, Edward Simpson, Callum Stewart, and Chelsea Vincent) enables them to excel in seamlessly transitioning between a wide array of characters, skilfully using clever props to build their set and projecting their voices with precision to keep the audience thoroughly engaged. The puppetry design by Nick Ash, Mae Voogd, and Alice King elevates the production to a new level, with their imaginative creations bringing the stage to life. From horses and giraffes to zebras, monkeys, and a hilariously endearing little pig—whose solo about cake is an infectious earworm—these puppets inject the show with a unique charm.
There’s very little “scenery” used in Illyria’s productions but they still manage to bring some magic by using minimal props to support their storytelling, there are definitive moments when you are surprised by what they manage to do!
The production does run at 1 hr 50 mins (with a 20 minute interval) which may be quite challenging to younger audiences. However, with the flexibility of an outdoor space, you can be as close or far from the action as required for your little one.
This delightful blend of humour, music, and visual ingenuity makes Illyria’s production of The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle an unforgettable theatrical experience. Not stopping there, the company have over 200 performances planned for the summer with three other shows Romeo and Juliet, The Gondoliers and The Hound of Baskervilles on the radar if you want to give one of those a look!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
